Gladys Stanton

Gladys Stanton, 78, of Jordan died Saturday, April 12, 2014, at the Billings Clinic. She battled cancer for many years, but was taken by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Gladys Mae Hogue was born to Bill and Gladys Hogue on Nov. 16, 1935, in Nebraska. Her family moved to Montana and she attended high school in Terry.

One summer, while in Jordan, she and her friend, Dora, saw a tall young man with a guitar walking to a dance the girls also were attending. She asked Dora who that guy was and Dora said “That’s my cousin Dale.” The then Miss Hogue said, “I’m going to marry him” and three months later, in September 1953, she did just that. They were married more than 50 years when Mr. Stanton died in 2004.

Mrs. Stanton had several jobs over the years. She worked for Ryan’s Grocery many years ago and then again when she came out of retirement, Fellman’s Hardware Store and Garfield County Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Stanton bought the Hell Creek Bar and ran it for several years and Mrs. Stanton went to school to learn to do boot, shoe and saddle repair and bought and operated the Jordan Shoe Shop where she repaired boots, shoes, saddles and did other leather work.

Later she was the director for the Garfield County Senior Citizens and Garfield County Transportation and was Garfield County Justice of the Peace when she retired the first time. Years later she was requested to come out of retirement again to fill the need for an additional Justice of the Peace. She said she would, but that she would only do weddings, which were her favorites, with no arraignments in the middle of the night.

Mrs. Stanton worked hard whether she was digging post holes or preparing for a court case. She loved little children and many called her mom, grandma, granny or Granny Gladys.

She was a Cub Scout leader in the 1950s and 1960s and loved it. Children were always welcome in her home. She taught Sunday school and Bible school. Being proud of the fact that she was a Christian and had been saved many years ago she wanted everyone to be and she made sure many children had the opportunity to go to church and learn about Jesus Christ, her Savior and King. When her children were younger, along with her nieces, nephews and any other child available, they were treated to numerous trips.

Mrs. Stanton was an accomplished water skier and helped teach many to ski. She knew how to make things fun for children.

Mrs. Stanton always had coloring books and Crayons nearby. She would color for hours to relax, which led to her love of painting. She took art lessons in the 1970s and again recently. She was an accomplished painter and after she retired for real she could be found on Saturdays painting and having lunch and cocktails with her “sister-friends,” Charlee Nordhus and Betty Johnson.

Mrs. Stanton also loved to travel and gamble and made many trips with family and friends to Las Vegas, Nev., and Deadwood, S.D. She especially enjoyed those trips with her special friends Bobi Raye Ross and Shelley Ryan who also took Mrs. Stanton to many doctor and chemo appointments. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy.

In the 1960s, Mrs. Stanton started making donuts from a recipe she adapted from a cookbook and people loved them. Many special occasions were filled with Granny Gladys’ Raised Donuts. The only years she didn’t make donuts were when she was too weak.

Mrs. Stanton was not afraid to die. She knew where she was going and that she would see her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and get to dance with Mr. Stanton again.

Her survivors include her son, Johnnie and Laura, granddaughter Kristi and Saurel Favard and their children, Jasmyn and Tristan and granddaughter, Kim and Lance Rodman and their daughter, Rachel; three step-granddaughters, their spouses and children; her daughter, Cindy, grandson, Brian and Barbara Mothershead and their children, Dalaney and Justin and grandson, Brady Mothershead; and her ex-son-in-law, Steve Mothershead and Debbie Long.

She also is survived by her brothers, Dale Hogue, Don and Mary Lou Hogue and Jim and Lou Hogue; a sister Wanda Evans; brother-in-law, Harold and Fran Stanton; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be Tuesday, April 15, 2014, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Jordan. Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 16, 2014, at 10 a.m. in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Jordan. Interment will follow in the Steve Fork’s Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Garfield County Ambulance Service and The Community Bible Church of Jordan.